Getting Out of Dodge ~ Again!

Friend Sue . . . yes that Sue of Vernon Junction . . . saw that an antique/primitive show promoter was having an outdoor show in her yard.  So guess what we are doing this Friday?  Hoping that we can get rid of excess antiques, collectibles and primitives.  Holy moly!  I only looked in a few antique cupboards and the basement, and this is what I came up with.  I have a few pieces of furniture that I am not taking.  I think between the two of us we will have too much for our booth.

In the midst of pricing, I asked Sue why we were putting ourselves through this.  Her response . . . "so we can buy more stuff".  Too funny!

As anyone who has had a garage sale knows, it is a LOT of work pricing items.  I had little idea how to price things, so looked things up on Etsy to see what the going rate was.  Prices on Etsy are very inconsistent for the same items.  I hope I priced my items so that they will sell.

Of course the weather guessers are now saying a good chance of rain tomorrow (set up day) and Friday (sale day).  Praying they are wrong!

No time for hooking, so that is all I have 😞

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Total Slacker ~

I wasn't sure that I would finish the background on Shady Spot at the Shipshewana hook in, but I sure thought I would get more hooked than I did.  I just wasted a LOT of time doing nothing!!! 

This is where I started . . . 

. . . and now.  (Color is more accurate in the first picture.)

Shipshewana is in the heart of Indiana Amish country.  The population was only 809 in 2020, but what a tourist destination!  Tourism is what makes it thrive.  I saw nothing that wasn't geared towards it.  There are both Amish and Mennonite.  From what Sue, my partner in crime told me, you can pretty much tell who is who by the way they dress.  Mennonites are much more accepting of some of the modern conveniences that we take for granted.  (Sue lives in the heart of Ohio Amish country.)

The grounds of the hotel where we stayed had the most beautiful flowers!

Head on over to Sue's blog post to see pictures of the rug show!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

Typical Me ~

In typical "me" fashion, I have put off getting my stuff together for my little getaway with Sue of Vernon Junction.  Leaving tomorrow morning and returning Saturday eve, we are heading to a two day hook in located in  Shipshewana, Indiana.  Shipshewana, in the heart of Indiana Amish country, is purported to have many quilt and antique shops.

I will also be set up to vend.  Those items have been hauled from the basement, but every day essentials and hooking not yet packed.  The hooking items should be easy to gather up since I am working on the background of Shady Spot and just need lots of antique darks. I wear the same clothes all the time, so shouldn't be difficult throwing those in the suitcase.

Busy day!  Hooking guild this morning in to early afternoon and then cooking dinner.  Not a fan of cooking but usually have my son and girlfriend over once a week.  Why did I choose today???  Nothing fancy, but it still takes time 😝

Oh, well, it will all get done.  It always does . . . and if I forget anything, I am sure there will be a store or two where I can find what I need.

So what is a post without a picture?  The caption on Facebook was "Life on Social Media".  So true.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Losing Focus ~

I am having a real (hooking) mental block when it comes to pulling loops on Primitive Horse & Birds.  This is all I hooked . . . just a corner of the bird.

And here is what I am using to hook it.  A new paisley bought on the Facebook buy and sell site for hookers.

So instead, I figured I could hook another small mat for my guild's September hook in.  Pulled a piece of linen that was already cut.  Well, instead of hooking one little mat, drew out three, but as you can see, did a couple modifications, changing what I had originally drawn.  Spacing was too close between the hearts and came across the fat little bird while trying to organize patterns on screen, so opted for him instead.  

I have several bird baths but this is my largest.  I don't see any feathered friends using the small ones, but they sure do enjoy this one!

And last but not least, something most of you can relate to.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Rugs ~

Even though I was going to put Shady Spot aside a couple days ago, I have hooked some more of the background.  I did get the left eye on both horses done, but still am not too happy with them and will leave for the time being.   Now for sure it will be set aside to take to the hook in at the end of the month.  I really love those funky horses!

I started this rug in a class with Cathy Stephan in May of 2023.  Primitive Horse & Birds is an antique adaptation by Jan Cole, the Wool 'n Gardener.  I have only pulled a few (very few!) loops on it since.  I suppose it is finally time to get back to it.  It is VERY large for me (45" x 36") and it is the first time I am hooking in a 10 cut.  I shouldn't hook something so large as I don't have spot to display it.

A couple closer ups . . . 

Sitting on my porch yesterday, I had a very unhappy squirrel.  I think he didn't want me invading his space 😁

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Shady Spot ~

My days seem to evaporate in to thin air.  Not much has been accomplished in any area of my life and hooking has been especially slow.  I was never happy with the bright blue flowers.  

I had planned to try to tone the wool down, but it was suggested I dye the wool in an onion skin bath.  I have been saving onion skins for years but never tried to dye with them.  Well, the first result was the wool ended up more a brown/green with very few hints of blue.  Not at all what I envisioned.  I thought maybe the dye bath was too strong, so made what I thought was weaker dye, but got the same results.

I pulled a few wools from my stash and headed to the local wool shop.  It was decided these wools were the best choice.  Too bad I cannot capture any true colors of my wool!!!  It gets so frustrating, but no matter how many different light sources I use, the color is still off 😡

MUCH better than the bright blue.

I eliminated the bright blue flower outline and am going with no outline.  

I adjusted this flower a bit and it has been suggested by a couple people to not hook those three doodads hanging down.  I know it is based on an antique design, but I am taking liberties!  The little clamshells may also be eliminated.

Two vein colors were also changed.

About the only thing other than background left to hook is to tweak the eyes.  At the end of the month, Sue from Vernon Junction and I are heading for a two day hook in in Shipshewana, IN.  I will work on the background there since it is pretty mindless and maybe even finish it!!!

DSO had a birthday the other day.  He counts his days in jelly beans and today he is at 29,583 of them!!!  Yesterday he had surgery on two trigger fingers.  Typical guy . . . he thought he'd be healed by today, but he's still a hurtin' puppy.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Hump Day ~

I don't know where the Indian Hills Community Center is, but they have THE BEST SIGNS to make you smile!

I took a walk around the yard last evening and snapped a few pictures.  With a digital camera, do we still snap pictures?

Blow mold Uncle Sam

It has been so exciting.  A pair of eagles built a nest in the park just a few blocks from my house.  Two eaglets hatched and have fledged.  Yesterday on my walk, I saw one of the babies up close and personal!!!  I knew almost nothing about eagles before, but in the last few months have learned so much.  It is amazing that at three months, they are as big as their parents.  They are about four months old at present.  Not sure how much longer the parents will let them stick around!

Thanks for all the comments about my tree.  I decided it was in my best interest to let the city know I want it removed.  Now I find out the removal is iffy.  It depends on the cost of removal.  Oh, the joys of home ownership.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Conundrum ~

A few years ago I had my front sidewalk replaced because the maple tree roots had caused the sidewalk to buckle in many places.  They had to remove huge tree roots in order to pour new level concrete.  I have been told that may cause the demise of the tree.  You can see the above ground roots still there that they cut away from.

There are some smaller dead branches, but so far nothing major.  I had one other maple tree which was probably planted at the same time (I am guessing about the time the house was built - 1940).  It was dying and had a large limb come down, it would have landed on my neighbor's house.  I had it removed a few years ago - and if you have had a large tree cut down you know the expen$e.  

Now that my street is being redone, they will be removing huge roots that are against the curb.  

I was approached by the city engineering department asking if I was attached to my tree.  

Uh, yes, but I was made an offer I am considering.  With more roots being removed, the chances of the tree dying in the next few years are great.  The city will cut it down at no charge to me, savings me many thousands in a few years.  The conundrum is that I LOVE my tree and the shade it provides.  There is now an ordinance that trees cannot be planted on the tree lawn because of power line issues.  As you can see, there is little room on the lawn between the sidewalk and house so planting a tree there is not a viable option.  I am so torn!!!  I know I will be sorry if I don't take them up on the offer, but it is still a hard decision for me. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th.  It has sounded like a war zone in my neighborhood for weeks with all the fireworks being shot off.

I can't even begin to imagine how much money people spend on them.  I have better things to do with my money, like pay bills (and buy more wool and a few antiques . . . lol!).

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

Happy Independence Day ~

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light
from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God Bless America,
My home, sweet home.
God Bless America,
My home, sweet home.

Please pray for this great Land of ours.  I fear for our democracy.  I want my grandson to know the America I grew up with.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Belle of the Ball ~

~ HAPPY CANADA DAY 
TO MY NORTHERN FRIENDS ~

Yesterday I went to an outdoor vintage market.  Since I still have my houseguest . . . and she hates to be left home . . . we headed out.  Ernestine is twelve now which really isn't old for a pug, but she has arthritis and can't walk long distances.  Plus she is so darn stubborn I would have had to drag her when she decided not to walk (and she is much too heavy to carry for long!).  If I must say so myself, she is just the cutest thing and got so much attention.  So many people wanted to pet her and I heard from a half dozen shoppers that they had a pug at home.

My "treasure" that came home with me was this garden gnome.  He has his faults but fits in my garden perfectly.  I just love garden junk!

A couple weeks ago my enabling sister-in-law told me the mega antique mall about an hour from me was having a sale.  I don't care for the huge malls, but couldn't say no 😁.  Of course what I found was not on sale . . . but the mall will call the dealer with an offer.  I just wasn't wild about the dough box I was using as a sofa table and was looking for a dry sink.  Well . . . this was the perfect size and a really great price (and it is perfectly imperfect) . . . and it fit in the back of my little SUV.  Now I just need to try to sell the dough box.  For years it sat in my basement and I really hate to put it down there again.  It is currently just sitting in the middle of the living room.  So hard to get a picture of the dry sink because it is only a few feet from the window.  I guess it is past time to put the tulips away for the year.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren